Folding square



(No'Model.) Y

J. S. HANLON. 1201.111111; SQUARE.

110.561.1019. PatentedJune 2, 1896.

NTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN STEVENTS HANLON, "0F NEW' HAVEN; CONNECTICUT.

FOLDING SQUARE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 561,109, dated J' une2, 1896.

Application filed February 11, 1896. Serial No. 578,937. (No model.)

and State of Connecticut, have invented cer- -tain new and usefulImprovements in Folding Squares; and I do declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the.

invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaecompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon,which form apart of this specification.

This invention has relation to improvements in folding squares; and itconsists in the novel construction and arrangement of the same wherebyone portion of the square can be readily folded upon the other and thefolded portion hidden from View, all as will be hereinafter more fullyexplained.

The annexed drawings, to which reference is made, fully illustrate myinvention, in which- Figure l represents a side View of my device epenand ready for use. Fig. 2 is also a side view of the same, showing thesquare closed. Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken through the joint. Fig.4 is an edge view, and Fig. 5 is a detail view, of my device. Fig. G isa detail View'showing the oblong opening in the square. Fig. 7 is adetail view showing more clearly the spring-catch, the side plate of thecatch removed; and Fig. 8 is a detail vertical sectional View throughthe catch.

Referring by letter to the accompanying drawings, A represents thesquare, comprising the fixed half or portion c. and a folding portion b.'The movable or folding portion b is provided with a transverseperforation c at its inner end, and the portion d is also provided withtransverse openings d d registering with the perforation c. Theseregistering openings d d are oblong in shape and through which and theperforation in the folding portion is passed a screw-bolt e, providedwith anut f on its end, thus providing a pivotal or hinged connectionbetween the two portions of the square.

The iiXed portion d of the square is provided with a recess or groove inwhich the folding portion enters when the square is folded, and whichprotects said portion as well as hiding it from view. The foldingportion of the square is held firmly in its proper place by aspring-catch g, which is attached to the portion a. The catch-point h isbeveled and engages a beveled notch 'L' in the offset of the folding`portion and is self-locking when the square is opened up. In order tofold the square, the operator simply forces the catch back and turns theportion b upon its pivot backward and into the groove or receptacletherefor in the portion d. Should the screwjoint become loose or thesquare become not plumb, the same is remedied by adjusting the parts toone another at the pivotal connection, the elongated openings.permitting the screw and end of the folding arm to be adjusted or movedin the proper direction for squaring the device. The short end j of theportion a, in which the springcatch is located, is cut square, as at k,and then on an incline, as at Z, which construction gives strength anddurability to this short arm of the portion a. l

In constructing my square, and in order to easily and readily providethe groove or kerf for the folding portion, I make the portion of threeparts or plates, the middle plate being narrower than the outside platesand the whole riveted together; but if desirable the portion a may bemade of one piece and the groove cut or made therein. The usual marksshowing inches, eine., can be used on the square as in the case withcommon squares of this character now in use, and a square as hereindescribed and shown is durable and when folded takes up less room forshipping as well as general use, and at the same time is cheap tomanufacture.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is- A In a folding square the combination of thefixed portion or half provided with the oblongshaped transverse openingsd, d, and the longitudinal groove in its edge for receiving the foldingportion, and the short end 'j cut square as at k and provided with theinclined portion Zthe pivotal screw and spring-con- IOO trolled siide gprovided with the catch-point In testimony whereof I mix my Signature 71the folding" portion provided with the offset in presence of twowitnesses. having the notch to engage said point 7L JQHN STEVENTSHANLON. whereby when the square 1s opened the parts 5 are self-looking'and when elosed the folding Witnesses:

portion is hidden from view and protect-'ed )HARLES II. HAYDEN, withinsaid groove all as shown and described. DAVID T. MCNAMARA.

